Athlete’s foot

Diagnosis

Athlete’s foot can be diagnosed by your doctor through a visual examination, as some forms of the condition may resemble dry skin or dermatitis. In order to confirm the diagnosis and eliminate the possibility of other conditions, a skin scraping from the affected area may be taken and sent to a laboratory for testing.

Treatment

If your athlete’s foot fails to improve with nonprescription products and self-care measures, it may be necessary to seek medical attention from a doctor to obtain a stronger cream or ointment with a prescription, such as clotrimazole (Lotrisone), econazole (Ecoza, Spectazole), or ciclopirox (Loprox, Penlac). In the case of a more severe infection, your doctor may prescribe antifungal pills, such as terbinafine (Lamisil) or itraconazole (Sporanox, Tolsura), or a combination of topical and oral medications may be necessary.